1. Technical Field
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a profile for identifying a subscriber in an eUICC, and more specifically, to a method of providing a subscriber profile of an eUICC that provides the subscriber profile capable of providing service in a non-service area.
2. Related Art
A universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is a smart card that is inserted into a terminal and used as a module for user authentication of a mobile network operator to which a user subscribes. The UICC may store a user's personal information, for example, short message service (SMS) files and a phonebook, and information on the mobile network operator to which the user subscribes, for example, an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) and a home public land mobile network (HPLMN).
The UICC is called a subscriber identity module (SIM) card in a global system for mobile communications (GSM), and a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) card in a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA).
When the user installs the UICC in the user's terminal, user authentication is automatically performed using information stored in the UICC, so that the user can conveniently use the terminal.
Moreover, when the user replaces the terminal, the user may detach the UICC from an old terminal and install it in a new terminal, to easily replace the old terminal. By installing the UICC of a desired mobile network operator, it is possible to easily change the mobile network operator and use the terminal.
That is, in an existing UICC environment, a prepared SIM profile is embedded in a separate card according to requirements of the mobile network operator (MNO), and the card is distributed separately from the terminal. In order to subscribe to services of a specific mobile network operator, the user purchases a terminal and a UICC, inserts the UICC into the terminal, actives the terminal according to activation procedures set by the operator, and then uses the terminal.
Therefore, when an international prepaid UICC is replaced, the user purchases a new local prepaid UICC and installs it in place of an old UICC in order to use the terminal.
However, in an embedded UICC (hereinafter referred to as an ‘eUICC’), which is integrally installed in the terminal, the eUICC is built into the terminal when the terminal is manufactured and released, unlike the existing detachable UICC. Due to its non-detachable physical structure, it is difficult to change the MNO by detaching the eUICC.